


Split

by DinoTeri



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kidnapping, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Psychological Torture, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-05 12:47:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17325275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DinoTeri/pseuds/DinoTeri
Summary: While on a mission Vox Machina split up and two of their companions find themselves separated from the group in the worst way.





	1. Prologue - Cold Stone

Thick rock walls enveloped the domed room, like an igloo of solid stone. A single black iron door marked the only entrance or exit, and the small barred window provided what little light was available. Suspended from the walls around them were numerous chains, and shelves of different implements and devises. Beside the door sat a small shining metal table on wheels. Everything was covered in splatters of blood, its metallic smell hanging heavy in the stale air. In the centre of the room was a chair, wooden reinforced with steel and bolted to the floor, smothered in layers of dryer crimson blood like a sick garnish or red paint on the wood.  
Against part of the wall lay the beaten and bloody bodies of a raven-haired half-elf curled around a tiny white-haired gnome. Both were dressed in threadbare grey linen tops, tatted black trousers, and each had a thick iron maniacal round one of their ankles; the chain of which welded to the wall. The room was cold, the air and the stone they lay on like ice encompassing them in its artic grasp. The gnome pushed herself closer to the taller man as they huddled close for what little warmth they could find. The chamber was dark, the low light provided by the window creating a dim circle of light for about five feet before fading into darkness. The shadows seemed to curl around the two, as if even the darkness had taken sympathy upon them.  
The half-elf sighed, he opened his eyes to gaze around the room, the dark brown irises almost black in the low light. They had been here for a week, each taking turns in that wretched chair. Masked people would grab one of them and chain them to the chair, or the ceiling and would beat them, burn them, bleed them . Attempting to break them. It had been a week, and now… He moved slightly and hissed and he scratched a burn against the wall. He clenched his fists and held the gnome tighter. “Vax?” Her small voice broke the silence. The gnome in his arms shifting to look up at him the scar across her left eye now accompanied by other cuts and bruises. “It’s okay, we’ll be okay. Vox Machina is coming.” Her smile was strained, but the hope in her baby blue eyes had him nodding, even if he couldn’t muster his own.  
“Yeah Pickle. I’m sure they are…”


	2. Isolating Vines

The mission was simple, infiltrate the manor of a local lord, find evidence of treason if there is any, get it back to the state officials. Easy. Until it wasn’t…

It started okay, Percy and Vex posed as visiting nobles, which was easy enough, not even a lie. Next, Vax and Keyleth, advisers for the pair, simple. Then was Grog and Pike, Bodyguards, done. Scanlan, a standing for an ‘ill’ entertainer, not a challenge.

The Noble, a black-scaled Dragonborn named Zravill Iarith welcomed them. He had been informed of their coming and was happy to seize the opportunity to form allies and perhaps an agreement or two between houses. All was good. He didn’t have many guards and it was easy enough for Vax and Scanlan to snoop around, somewhat unseen, the few times either was caught sorted with a few convincing excuses and a joke or two.

Then they found evidence. Not just of plotting against the state, but of trafficking – both goods and creatures. They discovered writings of an alliance with the Myriad and journal entries containing horrific descriptions of atrocities he performed on others. And as the evidence mounted so did the need to leave, however the issue of the Lord not happy with Percy and Vex leaving were present, he saw it as too good an opportunity to pass up. A chance to get contacts and alliances in Whitestone and through their link with Emon’s council a chance to rise in the ranks of society. This complicated matters. The longer they stayed, the higher the chance of the stolen evidence being discovered as missing.

Now Vax stood exploring the manor gardens with Keyleth, Pike following not to far behind to keep up appearances. For all the Dragonborn was vile, he had taste. Tall green trees rose high around them causing the sun to cast a soft dapple over the grass, and the winding paths bordered with different flowers of all colours and kinds were beautiful. He glanced at Keyleth beside him, she looked very at home amongst the plant life, darting from flower to flower a wide smile on her face. He grinned when she turned to face him tucking a bright yellow flower into her hair. He turned to Pike as he settled down onto a nearby bench, Keyleth choosing to continue fluttering about the plant life greeting animals as she went by and talking with the trees. “How are you Pickle?” She smiled back her armour glinting in the morning sun, she glanced around and, not seeing anyone else, she relaxed and sat on the bench beside him. “Good string-bean, how about you?”  
“Yeah, I’m alight, can’t wait to get away from here though, it’s been too easy, too… quiet.” The gnome nodded. “Yeah, my gut’s telling me something not right.” He hummed, looking around. “Nice place though.” Pike nodded in agreement leaning back. As they had both sat there enjoying the peace neither noticed the vine moving to curl around Vax’s legs or Pikes wrist until they gripped them tight. Both startled but before they could yell vines ensnared them, cutting of any sound they were about to make and dragging them down into a denser part of the forest. Thick green tendrils had wrapped around their eyes blindfolding them. Neither could have anticipated the blow to the head that knocked them out and the word went dead. 

*****

The first thing he noticed was that he was tied up, the rope chaffing his skin, the was second that: ‘Oh, Keyleth was going to kill him… Wait, no, Vex was going to kill him.’ As his senses returned, he became more and more aware of his surroundings. HE had no armour on, his daggers removed and just in what seemed to be a simple linen top and trousers. He was sat in a chair. Thick wood from the feel of it. Mettle buckles and tough leather held his wrists and ankles to the rough surface, it was cold, the kind the festered deep in his bones freezing him from the inside out. A sour metallic tang hung heavy and thick in the air, blood. A little way away he could hear the breathing of a small body off to the side of him who he guessed was in a similar state ‘They better not have hurt Pike.’ He could hear her breathing it was slow, steady, calm – he hoped it was her, that she wasn’t alone. He lifted his head slightly and felt a sharp pain shred through his thoughts. Vax groaned, the consciousness no longer a good thing. In his pain he didn’t notice a door open.

“Grand! Your awake!” A sharp, loud voice startled the rogue and he opened his eyes to be met with, darkness? He shook his head and as his scattered thoughts started to form again, he realised he was blindfolded still, this time with fabric. Beside him Pike stirred as well, wincing as she woke. “What…?” She squeaked her voice soft. The quiet conformation relaxing him slightly.  
“Come now you two, wake up!” The voice was overly cheery, it seemed so wrong. Too loud and light-hearted for this place. “Oh, silly me! I should probably get rid of those blindfolds huh.” He felt long fur-covered fingers undo the knot in the fabric and hissed as the light of the room blinded him. It was obnoxiously bright, and painful. Beside him the gnome had the same reaction. As the spots in his vision faded, he looked around and his blood chilled. He was sat in a chair, its wood stained crimson. The room around him was stone and chains and shelves of various devices were strung to the walls. A small, wheeled metal table was beside him, its surface bare and surprisingly clean compared to the red splattered room. Pike looked okay, her wrists were bound in front of her and a thick metal ring was wrapped around her ankle a chain linking it to the wall. She was frowning, glancing at him, worry swimming with fear in her eyes. As a tall figure stepped into his vision, he moved turning to face them. Excited green eyes looked back at him. Stood there was a smiling Tabaxi, her fur a dusty gold colour with various shades of golden-brown spots and stripes retreating under her clothes. Her tail was long and twitching excitable behind her. She was wearing a white cotton top and long black trousers, along with what looked to be black leather amour. On her belt were various wicked looking knives. “Goood Morning! I’m Rain! What’s your name?” Vax watched her perplexed, Pike wearing much the same expression. The bubbly Tabaxi frowned slightly. “You can talk you know. And I did ask you a question.” The feline had moved, darting around the room gathering various objects before laying them out on the table. Various blades mainly, varying from keen jagged edges to horribly blunt. She grabbed one that was somewhere in the middle. And started moving it toward him. “Come on it’s not a hard question!”  
“Vax.” He said quickly.  
She stopped and grinned placing the knife down again. “There that wasn’t so difficult was it?” She looked at the gnome. “And you?” Pike glanced up at her and at Vax. “I’m Pike, where are we?” The Tabaxi tsked, and shook her head, “No, no, no. That’s not how this works. You stay quiet until I ask you a question, and you answer. Truthfully, no trickery or…” Quick as a blink, she swiped up a small sharp blade and slashed it across Vax’s exposed arm. He yelled from the unexpected pain, small drops of crimson blood beginning seep from the wound. It was superficial. No true damage, just pain. Pike gasped, and Rain grinned wide, “So no trouble now yes?” She licked the blood of the blade never losing her childlike smile or breaking eye contact with Pike. She licked her lips and placed the knife back as the gnome nodded. “Wonderful!” She moved back to Vax’s side a new blunter blade in hand.

“Now then, Let’s play.”


End file.
